Fine after landlord claims he couldn't afford to improve property

A London landlord who failed to comply with an Improvement Notice to maintain his property for his tenants has a £4,000-plus bill as a result.

Carel Johannes Kooy was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,110 in costs after pleading guilty to a charge under the Housing Act 2004.

Hammersmith Magistrates’ court heard that Kooy, who lives in the same property as he lets out in Labroke Grove, had failed to comply with an Improvement Notice requiring that he carry out works to a property to ensure the safety of his tenants and keep the property in good repair.

Kensington and Chelsea council officers inspected the property in May 2015 after receiving a report from the London Fire Brigade that there had been a fire. The inspection revealed the electrics were in a poor condition.  

In July 2015 the council served an improvement notice requiring works to be completed no later than January 12 this year.   

However, when officers inspected the property on January 27 this year no works had started and Kooy was given until the end of February to start the works, which he failed to do

In April, Kooy contacted the Council confirming that the works had not started and asking for more time.

In mitigation the court heard that Kooy did not have the necessary funds to carry out the works in the time frame required, although he had recently rewired the property. He also claimed he was not a commercial landlord as he lived at the property.

Kooy was also ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge.